What Yao Wants
by SomeStoryWriter
Summary: What Yao wanted, he got. Why would the hot Russian be an exception? (Completed!)
1. Chapter 1

What Yao wanted, he got.

Why would the hot Russian be an exception?

"How silly of me to forget my documents," he said, scooting a little bit closer to Ivan. "You're so kind for letting me read along with yours." He moved even closer, just to read the text properly. He wondered what it would take to break his chair. Then, he'd have no other choice but to sit on Ivan's lap.

"It's okay, I forget mine too sometimes. They make the meetings a lot easier to follow."

The meetings. Why did Ivan have to pay attention to those boring meetings instead of Yao? Maybe he had to step up his game.

As soon as the lunch break started, Yao got up and laid his hand on Ivan's shoulder. If words didn't work, maybe he had to try getting up and close instead. To that big bicep and that broad chest and… "I'm starving." He leaned in closer. "I know a great place. If you want to come along…"

"Oh, sorry, I actually promised Gilbert I'd meet up with him."

_Gilbert? Since when are you two close? Calm down, it's probably nothing._ "Oh, that's okay."

"Wait, do you have anyone to eat with?" He looked up with worried eyes, melting Yao's heart. "I don't want you to eat alone."

"Nonsense. You know I never eat alone. I wish I could eat alone for once!" He tried to add in a convincing chuckle, but he knew how stupid his own words sounded.

"Yao-Yao does make the best food."

Was that a compliment? Was Ivan complimenting him? _Stay calm, it doesn't have to mean anything yet._ "The best food for the best people." Could he move in even closer?

Ivan gathered his things and got up. "I should be going."

"A-Alright, see you later!"

Ivan smiled and waved at him as he walked away.

Yao leaned against the table, blowing a lock of hair from his face. That went well…

"Quickly, move him before he turns into stone. Perished fossils are of no use."

Yao rolled his eyes as Lixiao pushed him towards the exit of the meeting room. "Coming, coming…"

"How did the courting go?" Mei asked as they walked. "Still convinced that old people know better?"

"I'm working on it. The trick is to take it slow."

"Like fossilization," Lixiao said.

"I'm not…" But he decided not to bother. He had more important things to worry about. It was just a matter of time before Ivan would fall for him. Probably.

Hopefully.

* * *

As soon as the lunch hour ended, Yao was back in his seat, waiting for Ivan. He perked up when he saw him enter the room. He was indeed with Gilbert. The latter whispered something in Ivan's ear with a grin, slapped his back and then moved away. Yao raised a brow but was determined not to let anything show. He tried his best to act nonchalant as Ivan sat down next to him. "How was your lunch?"

"Very good," Ivan said. "And yours?"

"The same." He fidgeted with his pen.

"There's actually something I would like your help with." His cheeks had the faintest shade of pink on them.

"Of course." Was it something at his house? With just the two of them? Maybe something they wouldn't need clothes for…

"The thing is, Yao-Yao's so smart and kind… I thought you might be the right person to help me."

"Whatever you need."

"Well, you see…" He fidgeted with his sleeves. "I'm trying to ask someone out."

Aha. Yao had read about this. Sometimes youngsters pretended to ask their crush for dating advice, only to surprise their crush by using it on them. How clever. "Oh, really? What is this mysterious person like?" He couldn't help but twirl his hair a bit. Things were finally moving forward.

"Well, she's tough but kind… She has lots of energy…And she's a bit wild…"

Yao's finger froze in his hair. That… was not him. Ivan was trying to ask someone out who wasn't him.

Ivan had a crush on someone else.

Yao took a deep breath to stop himself from detonating on the spot. A crush wasn't a relationship yet. It didn't have to mean anything. There was still time for Yao to turn things around. But if Ivan did fall in love with this… _nice lady_… then Yao had to let him go. He wouldn't get in between his… or _her_ bear and his happiness.

He had competition now. No big deal.

"Yao?"

"Yes?"

"You looked like you zoned out for a bit there."

"Nonsense. Now, as for advice…" He had to be sincere about this. If he tried to sabotage Ivan's love live and Ivan found out, he'd never have a chance again. "Have you tried flowers?"

"I considered it, but I was worried about it being too cliche." He sunk away in that big coat of his. The sight was so endearing that Yao had to stop himself from grabbing and squishing him.

"It's cliche for a reason. Try it out."

"Alright, I will."

"I can help you pick them out."

"Oh, no, it's okay. I'll ask the people working there."

Yao leaned away from him. "Well, I'm sure she'll love whatever you end up giving her." _I know I would._

"That's very kind of you, Yao-Yao."

He shot Ivan a friendly smiled before turning to his notepad.

"What flowers does Yao-Yao like?"

He perked up. "Me? Well…"

Flowers. From Ivan. Flowers given to him by Ivan. Maybe it could still happen...

* * *

It's not like Yao was waiting for Ivan to show up the next day. It's not like he had convinced himself that those flowers were really meant for him. It was a much nicer thought than the one of Ivan asking out someone else. And even if those flowers were meant for someone else, maybe Yao could swoon Ivan into giving them to him instead.

From where he was waiting by the entrance of the meeting room, he could see Ivan approaching, a bouquet in his hand. Yao's heart started beating faster when he recognized the individual flowers. All of them were the ones Yao had mentioned as his favorites. Could it be, then? Finally, after all these years…

"Good morning," he said, trying to suppress his smile until the moment he'd receive his gift—and Ivan's affection.

"Good morning, Yao-Yao." He was glowing, the sweet thing.

"I see you got the flowers."

"I did. I had to go through a lot of trouble to get them."

"You are about to make someone very happy, then."

"I hope I am."

Yao bit his lip. Any second now…

"Oh, there she is. If you'll excuse me…" In a second, Ivan brushed past him.

Yao stood frozen for a moment. He turned around to see who Ivan could possibly be wooing that wasn't him. But he had disappeared, and there was no sign of the competition either.

The rest of the meeting passed by in a blur for Yao. He didn't sit anywhere near Ivan, and he gave up trying to figure out which of the female nations had won Ivan's heart. Whoever it was, surely they'd be glowing with joy?

As soon as the meeting ended, Yao made his way out. He ignored his siblings, and, most of all, Ivan. He was determined to leave with his head held high and his dignity intact.

He was okay, really. Absolutely perfect.


	2. Chapter 2

"I have never seen death by ice cream before."

"Lixiao, stop talking and open the curtains."

Yao groaned as a burst of light hit his eyes.

"Look, the dinosaur is coming to life."

"Lixiao, you're grounded," he grumbled.

"You wish."

Yao pushed himself up on his bed. His hands bumped against the empty ice cream cartons. "What time is it?"

"Around noon," Mei said. "Do you want anything to eat?"

"Yes." He stuck his feet into his slippers. "Food is my new love."

Lixiao chuckled and Mei swatted his arm.

"I was a fool." Yao hoisted up his sweatpants. "I reached my expiration date a long time ago. I shouldn't be wasting my time on dating and whatnot."

Mei and Lixiao exchanged a look as he shuffled towards the kitchen.

"I have to face that my days of flirting and courting are over. It's time to accept my situation. And adopt a cat or two."

"What about Ivan?" Mei asked.

"I don't care about Ivan anymore. I hope he's happy with his girlfriend, whoever she may be."

"Heartbreak," Lixiao whispered to Mei. "He needs us more than ever now."

She nodded resolutely.

Yao turned on the water boiler and searched his fridge for some eggs. "Have you two already eaten?"

"Yes, we're good."

Yao put two cups of tea down for his siblings and then sat down with his own eggs. The other two cautiously joined him at the table.

"How about inviting everyone over tonight?" Mei suggested. "Maybe some distraction will do you good."

"I'm too old for such things," he grumbled.

"Someone has to look after us. Come on, since when do you say no to a karaoke night?"

"I don't feel like singing."

"Then you can sit in the corner and eat the snacks."

"Fine. But you better bring lots."

"Leave it to us." Mei sipped her tea. "And don't go impulse-buying any kittens."

"I can't promise anything."

When Mei and Lixiao finished their tea and left to buy food, Yao went to his bedroom to get dressed. He searched through his closet, but couldn't find anything nice to wear. He looked in the mirror, trying to figure out what to do with himself.

Old and ugly. That was the only way he knew to describe himself. What was he even thinking? That his age would make him charming somehow? No wonder Ivan didn't like him. He was just a walking corpse. And an ugly one, at that.

In the end, he tied his hair together and pulled on some pants and a shirt he found lying around. He didn't see the point in trying to make pretty what wasn't. He searched for cat shelters while waiting for his siblings.

"Are you still alive?" Lixao asked while dragging in two grocery bags.

"Yes, yes. Revived myself from the grave."

"The others are coming as well. It'll be the six of us tonight."

"As long as I get food."

"Of course."

One by one everyone trickled in, Yong Soo arriving last. "Have I been called upon to defend my record?"

And that's how the party began.

* * *

Yes, the food was nice, but the alcohol was even better. Yao enjoyed how his head spun too hard to make coherent thoughts. And yet, somehow, Ivan kept popping up in the back of his mind. Handsome Ivan. Strong Ivan. Sexy Ivan. Sweet Ivan. Ivan in every shape or form.

Yao glanced over at his siblings who only got more competitive the drunker they got. He took his phone out of his pocket and looked at the cat pictures again. Did Ivan like cats?

"Ask him out," Lixiao said, flopping down next to him.

"What?"

"Ask Ivan out."

He scoffed. "You ignorant punks. In my day—"

"Yeah, yeah. In your day, you wrote letters and you courted someone by showing them how many sheep you owned."

"That's not—"

"Things have changed. If you want Ivan, you have to go and get him. No more waiting for a miracle to happen."

"And how do you suggest I do that, oh wise youngster?"

"You ask him out on a date."

Yao raised a brow.

"What's the worst that can happen? That he'll reject you? You're not any closer now."

"And how do you suggest I ask him on this date?"

Lixao pointed at the phone in his hand. "Text him."

Yao looked at the phone. "Young people know no romance."

"At least we know how to say 'I love you.' Now, go ahead. Every second you're waiting, he's falling in love with someone else."

Yao grumbled, but he couldn't come up with anything to counter him. He opened his messages with Ivan. There were a few things there, some pictures and recipes they'd exchanged. He looked to Lixiao for help, but he had already gotten up for another round of karaoke.

He typed a few things but erased them again. Slowly a message formed, between sips of whatever liquor mixture he had in front of him. Knowing that he'd probably fall asleep soon, he pressed 'send'.

* * *

Yao's heartbreak was temporarily forgotten due to the splitting headache that announced his hangover. He groaned, even louder than the morning before. "I will kill you all…"

But there was no response. Everyone else was still asleep.

Yao raised his head and looked around to see where he was. He was hanging off the couch. That explained his sore neck and back. He pushed himself upright and at once regretted doing so. He grabbed his head as if that would stop the room from spinning around him. He let himself fall back down and landed with his face on something hard. "Ouch…" He grabbed it and recognized it as his phone. A little light flickered indicating he had a notification. He turned the screen on and firmly squeezed his eyes shut in regret. On his second attempt, he made sure to turn the brightness of the screen all the way down. He peeked at the notification, ready to obliterate it if it wasn't worth his attention.

It was a message from Ivan.

He sat up at once, his finger hovering over the screen. He acknowledged his pounding heart briefly before opening the message.

_Looking forward to it._

What?

He scrolled further back, to messages of his own which he couldn't remember sending.

_Hy uou big dorkk_

_Let se who best at ice skatiting_

_11 am at place_

_Loser buy hot chocla_

_So that be you_

Yao let out a sound resembling that of a dying animal. What had he done? He could he ever face Ivan after this?

"Yao?" Lixiao emerged from his sleep of the dead as well. "Don't die yet."

Yao looked between him and the screen. Had he really sent those messages?

Lixiao peeked over his shoulder and read the messages. "You should hurry. It's almost eleven."

"You can't expect me to go there."

"Brother, we will collectively kick you out of the house and refuse to let you back in until you've seen Ivan."

"You're my enemies." Yao pushed himself to his feet. The shock helped a great deal in clearing up his hangover.

"You'll thank us one day. Now, go and get ready."

Yao dragged himself to his bedroom and tried to dress as appropriately as possible given his rotten state of mind. It wasn't until he was standing outside when he fully realized what was happening.

He had a date with Ivan.


	3. Chapter 3

Every second that Yao was waiting, he considered turning around and going home. He watched people enter the ice skate complex, wondering what he was even thinking. He'd only make a fool of himself. If Ivan would even show up, that was. Why would he, after a drunk text?

He was about to leave when he saw a familiar person walking up to him.

"Yao-Yao. Sorry I'm late."

_Were you with her?_ "That's okay."

"I've been looking forward to it."

"What? I mean…"

"Let's go inside."

Yao couldn't do much but follow. What was happening?

They each rented a pair of ice skates and put them on. "I'd have taken out my own skates, but I didn't have the time to clean them on such short notice," Ivan said cheerfully.

"Ah… Yes, same…" Was this a good time to confess he hadn't been on the ice in years? He could hear Lixiao's parting words in his head. _Don't break a hip._

Yao followed Ivan to the ice rink. "I, um… I may have to warm up a bit."

"That's okay." Ivan held out his hand. "I'll help."

Yao put his hand in Ivan's, trying to contain his pounding heart in his chest. A few seconds later, they were on the ice, and Yao feared for his life in more than one way. He wondered what would kill him first: a neck-breaking fall or a heart attack from leaning this close against Ivan. Even without a hangover, he'd be fumbling on his feet. Even though he hoped Ivan wouldn't notice, but he also knew not to be naive.

After a while, Yao slowly started to get a feel for how to move forward. Ivan's arm around his body did help as he got used to his own skates. Truth be told, he was too focused on his closeness to Ivan's body to care about the elegance of his movements. His hangover had to be playing tricks on him somehow.

"You're good at this," Ivan said.

"Oh, I… I'm trying." It had to be a straight-up lie. He wasn't good at it at all.

"I go ice skating whenever I can. In the winter, I'm in the rink all the time."

Of course. Yao just had to challenge a pro.

"I didn't know Yao-Yao likes it too. We should go ice skating together more often."

"Oh?" Yao tried to swallow his shock. "I mean, yes, we should."

Ivan smiled as he led Yao through the bends. Yao was happy to hold onto him for dear life. He was about to label this as his worst drunk mistake in history when he stumbled and ended up enveloped in Ivan's arms. He looked up, right into the other's eyes.

His breath caught in his throat. So close… It was almost like an intimate hug.

"Are you okay?" Ivan asked.

"Yes, I think so. But I'm afraid that if I make one movement now, I'll fall over."

"I'll help." He lifted Yao and positioned him firmly on his feet. "There. Not as unstable anymore."

Yao's mind, on the other hand, was anything but stable at the moment. "Thank you."

"Be careful, _da_? I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

He could only nod.

When they—meaning, Yao—started to get cold, Ivan guided them safely to the exit. Yao managed to stomp over to a bench without falling over and he untied his ice skates.

"I think it's time for hot chocolate," Ivan said. He had his own skates off in no time.

"It is." Yao had to nearly pull his foot off before the skate gave way. "I'm freezing."

"We don't want that."

Once they both had their shoes on, they headed to the joint cafe. As Yao sat down and Ivan headed to the bar, he remembered a particular part from his own text messages. "Wait, drinks are on me." There was no pretending he wasn't the absolute loser.

"Consider it a thank you, for inviting me."

Yao didn't know what to say. His mouth was still hanging open by the time Ivan put the steaming mug down in front of him. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Ivan sat down himself as well. "I was surprised when you asked me to come here."

"Oh, yes, well, the idea just came to me."

"I'm glad it did."

A blush spread across Yao's cheeks and he quickly took a sip of his drink.

"Have you checked the lists for the next meeting?"

"Oh, not yet."

"You and I are in charge of snacks next time."

"We are?"

Every meeting, a few nations were selected to provide snacks. They carefully rotated tasks to keep everyone both busy and satisfied. Although some nations, like Arthur, would like to be on the cooking list more often…

"We should meet up to prepare the food together," Ivan said. "I'll be less work if we do it together."

"Oh, yes, that would be a good idea."

"I thought we can make pie or cake."

"Alright. I'm sure we can come up with something tasty."

"We can do it at my place."

Yao's heart skipped a beat. "That sounds like a good plan."

"The next meeting is a week from now. So… The day before then?"

"Alright. I'll be there."

"I look forward to it."

Yao drank his hot chocolate, although he no longer needed it to keep him warm.

* * *

That night, there was no way Yao could ever hope to fall asleep. What had Ivan meant with all his smooth words? Wasn't he supposed to be dating someone else? A spooky thought crept up on Yao. What if he was a rebound? What if Ivan's crush had rejected him, and now he tried to distract himself with the next best thing? Would Ivan do something like that? Intentionally, probably not. But could he be doing it without realizing?

Or maybe he was reading too much into it, and all Ivan wanted, was to be friends. Maybe he was getting excited over nothing. Regardless, it was too late not to get excited now. His head was already spinning with thoughts of possibilities. Was it possible to flirt while baking? Would it be worth a try?

For now, he had to try to sleep. Dark circles from lack of sleep wouldn't be attractive. But what would be? Yao glanced at his closet. So many possibilities… He was sure he'd find a way to impress Ivan. And to think he'd almost given up.


	4. Chapter 4

If there was one thing Yao wasn't doing during the next week, it was staying calm. He jumped every time his phone made a noise and he spent hours trying to think of foods that would impress Ivan. His siblings, although mildly terrified, were happy to see him so full of energy again.

Yao woke up early on the important day. He straightened his hair—he'd deny to anyone he owned such a device—and made sure to wear a baggy shirt that could slide off his shoulder in an unguarded moment. He left his hair untied for now. He couldn't pass up the chance to put on a bit of a show for Ivan. The same went for his tight pants, which would look just perfect when he'd bend over the counter to grab the sugar.

Yao drove over to Ivan's place, arriving too early. He took the time to make sure he looked the best he could before parking his car in front of Ivan's house and walking up to the door. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

Ivan opened it, his hair a lovely tousled mess and an apron tied around his body. "Yao, you're here. I just finished getting everything ready for us."

"I thought it'd be nice to start early."

"Come in."

Yao walked in and took his coat off.

"Look, these slippers are for you." Ivan held two fluffy pink slippers up.

Yao looked down and saw similar but yellow ones around Ivan's feet. "Oh, thank you." He took off his shoes and slipped the slippers on. He tried not to think too hard about how he and Ivan were now a matching pair. In terms of footwear, at least. And since when did Ivan have slippers in Yao's size?

They headed to the kitchen. It wasn't big, much to Yao's delight. The kitchen table took up most of the space, with a cute red checkered table cloth and a small plant that was recently bought, judging by the brand clean card sticking out of it. No candles. But there was time for that later.

"I only have one oven, so we'll have to make the oven dishes one by one," Ivan said. "Maybe we can make some deep-fried foods too."

"Sounds great."

"Oh, and I bought all the ingredients you mentioned. I can't wait to taste what you're going to make. Yao-Yao makes the best food."

Humility is a virtue, Yao reminded himself. Still, he allowed himself to revel in the compliment. "Let's pick a dish to start with."

* * *

Yao couldn't get over how cute Ivan looked. He clutched a bowl to his chest, whisking away ferociously at the would-be pancake batter, the tip of his tongue sticking out between his lips. Yao was caught up staring at it until he burned his hand on the splattering oil in the pan in front of him. "Ouch…"

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine, just some wild oil." He scooped some deep-fried chicken rolls out. Right at that time, he realized he needed more tissue paper, and he knew it was the chance he'd been waiting for. He leaned forward, making sure to stick his bum out far behind him. Judging by the way the sound of the whisk died out, it worked. Yao tried his hardest to suppress a smirk as he grabbed what he needed and stood back upright. After a few seconds, the whisking slowly continued. "Is it me or is it hot in here?" Yao asked, trying to keep his voice light and nonchalant.

"Oh… Yes, I guess it is a bit warm. I can open a window."

"No need." Yao took his hair elastic off his wrist and ran his hands through his hair. The whisking stopped once more. He pulled his hair up and slowly tied it with the elastic. When he was done, he let it cascade down. Pretending nothing had happened, he went back to his cooking.

When Ivan was done with the batter, he came up to the stove as well. He put a pan on the pit and reached around Yao to turn on the gas. Yao tried not to make any noises when Ivan's body rubbed against his. He was warm indeed… Yao almost felt cold when the arm moved away. "I'm finished with this," Yao said, putting the pan with oil to the side.

"Alright. Would you mind taking the cake out of the oven?"

"On it." Yao put on the oven gloves and opened the oven door. Yet another delicious scent entered the kitchen. He took the cake out and put it on the kitchen counter. When he turned around, his chest pressed against Ivan's. He froze and clung to the counter. Ivan's hand was on the oven door. "Sorry," he said, closing it. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"That's okay." He expected Ivan to move, but he didn't.

"I'm afraid my kitchen's not very big."

_Unlike other things, no doubt._ "I think it's rather cozy."

"You do? Well, that's good to hear."

They only seemed to move closer together instead of apart. Ivan placed his hand on the kitchen counter, next to Yao's. His other hand moved closer as well. Yao looked up, his chest moving up and down more rapidly than he'd like. "It really is hot in here, isn't it?" Ivan said.

Yao could only nod.

"Maybe this… will help…" Ivan moved closer, leaning down to Yao. His lips came closer and closer, and Yao closed his eyes and tilted his head up. He could almost taste Ivan's breath, feel his lips against—

A phone rang.

Ivan looked confused for a second before digging through his pockets. He took out his phone and picked up.

Yao leaned against the counter to steady himself. Had that just really happened? Was he hallucinating? Had Ivan almost kissed him?

He waited for Ivan to finish his conversation. But what was he to say? That is was a mistake? Was it? It was Ivan who had initiated it. Would that make a difference?

Ivan hung up and stayed with his back turned to Yao. "I…" he tried to begin.

Yao swallowed. "Maybe… Should I go?"

"Yes. That might be for the best."

Yao quickly took off his apron and slippers and hurried to the door. Within seconds, he was outside. He ran to his car and drove away without looking back.

What had just happened?


	5. Chapter 5

Yao hadn't spoken to Ivan since the Incident, and he thought he'd never hear from him again. He was proven wrong, however, when one morning a message showed up on his phone. It was a picture of some fancy restaurant.

_I got us a table for two._

Yao nearly dropped his phone. He read over the message again and again. Surely, it had to be meant for someone else. It was probably intended for Ivan's crush. He couldn't be expecting Yao to show up. He had to let Ivan know that he was texting the wrong number. A simple message would do. Something professional and dignified.

_Hi._

He looked at his screen as if that would speed up the response. He startled when a new message appeared.

_I'll see you at 6._

What? No, no, no. If Yao wasn't hallucinating at the time the almost-kiss happened, then he was now. He sent screenshots to his siblings for confirmation, but they all said the same thing: Yao was going on a date tonight.

He huffed and puffed and cursed as he tried to find a suit suitable for the occasion. It had to be fancy, yet not too fancy. It was a date, not a meeting at the embassy.

No tie, he decided. A sleeveless suit vest, with room for leaving the two upper buttons of his shirt unbuttoned. Casual, yet chic. And, so he hoped, much to Ivan's liking.

He spent the rest of the day nervous and mentally preparing himself. You're going on a date, he told himself. It's going to be fun. He got dressed and took his car to the location Ivan had provided him with. Every other second he considered stopping the car or turning it back around. What if he was wrong? What if Ivan was expecting his crush? He'd make a fool of himself. How was he going to explain showing up without revealing his eagerness to jump at every invitation Ivan offered?

It was too late. The restaurant was already in sight. _It's still possible to turn around._ No, he had to do this. The only thing worse than an awkward situation was missing out on a date with Ivan. If this was going to be a date, at least. He got out of the car, smoothed out his clothes, and headed to the restaurant.

The restaurant was fancy indeed. If anything, it was going to be a classic candlelight dinner, and Yao was down for it. He looked around for Ivan.

"Yao?"

He turned around.

Ivan stood by the entrance of the restaurant, his mouth hanging open.

"Hello," Yao began, not sure what else to say or do. Why was Ivan so surprised? Because Yao wasn't the one he expected to show up? Of course, it was all a misunderstanding after all...

"H-Hello," he stammered. "Sorry for being late."

"Not at all." _Wait, it's not a mistake? What's happening, what's happening?_

Ivan told the waiter his name and they were led to their table. Yao sat down in the chair that was pulled out for him. He tried his best not to fidget with the artfully folded napkin.

"I know it was sudden," Ivan said. "I'm sorry if tonight was inconvenient for you."

"No, not at all." Should he bring up the almost-kiss? Should he wait for Ivan to do so?

"I saw this place and I just had to take you here."

"It looks lovely."

A waiter came by and they both ordered a glass of wine. Maybe the alcohol would help with Yao's nerves.

"I had fun baking with you last time," Ivan said. "I hope we'll get to do that again together soon."

"Ah, yes… It was fun indeed."

The conversation died down mostly during the meal. They both made comments on the food, and the drinks, and the atmosphere. The scenery wasn't to blame; the restaurant was dimly lit with strings of small lights, almost resembling stars. Candlelight took care of the rest.

When they were finishing up their dessert, Yao started to get worried. Was something going wrong? Was he supposed to make a move? What if Ivan wouldn't want to ask him out for dinner again? They'd gone the whole evening without a clear moment of chemistry. Had it been a mistake to come tonight?

"I really do like spending time with you," Ivan said. He seemed just as shook as Yao to hear his own words. "I mean… You know…"

"I like it too."

Ivan looked at him, and Yao smiled, and it was all that needed to be said.

Once they'd finished eating and split the bill, they got up and left the restaurant. Yao shuddered at the chilly air.

"Where's your car?" Ivan asked.

"Oh, just a little bit away."

"I'll walk with you there."

Yao started walking, slowly, knowing full well that the evening would be over as soon as they'd reach his car. But maybe there was still a surprise kiss in store for him…

"Have you heard about the party yet?" Ivan asked.

"The party?"

"One of the upcoming world meetings is in America. Alfred wants to host a party afterward."

"Oh… Well, I might go." _If you ask me to be your date. Will you? Well?_

"I'm planning on going. With…"

"Mm?"

"With my girlfriend."

Yao stopped in his tracks. "What?"

"My girlfriend. I'm going to the party with her."

The blood drained from Yao's heart. "I see…"

"What?"

"Nothing. I just didn't know you had a girlfriend."

"Yes, since recently. You helped me out with those flowers, remember?"

"Yes, I remember." How could he forget?

"I'm very grateful for your help back then."

Yao found himself walking faster, eager to close the distance to his car. "Well, I should be going home now. It's late."

"Will you be at the party?"

"Probably not. I'm too old for that sort of thing."

"Right…"

"Thank you for the wonderful evening." He got into his car. "Good night." He closed the door and started the engine. The headlights turned on, lighting up Ivan. He drove off, leaving him behind.

How could he have been so stupid?


	6. Chapter 6

Yao would like to say he hadn't cried. He'd like to say he didn't go back to ice cream and drinking, and that he hadn't almost called in sick for the next meeting just so he wouldn't have to see Ivan. But he told himself that he wasn't a child anymore and that he could face his demons.

The only problem was that Ivan was far from a demon.

Yao went straight to his assigned seat, happy to see that it wasn't anywhere near Ivan. It didn't take long to spot him though. How could Yao not see him, when he'd spent so much time learning to recognize Ivan in a crowd? He was standing with Gilbert and Elizaveta. She was holding Ivan's hand.

_She must be the girlfriend._

_No wonder. She's far more attractive._

Yao didn't care, he told himself. Ivan was just… Ivan. Nothing special. What did it matter who he decided to date?

Tears welled up again, and he did his best to swallow them. He had to get over this. It was over. No more chances. It was time to accept that Ivan was never going to love him.

But damn, was that hard to do.

"Are you okay?" Mei asked.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"You look horrible."

"Thanks." He glanced at Ivan again. He really had to stop doing that.

"Look, it may not seem like it now, but this isn't the end of the world."

"I know." He sighed. "Trust me, I do."

"Just know that we're here if you need another distraction."

"Thank you." He looked up at her. "I mean it."

Mei smiled and squeezed his shoulder before walking away.

Yao tried to focus on his documents for right now. That seemed like the best thing to do.

"Yao?"

Great, now he was hearing Ivan's voice in his head.

"Yao-Yao?"

He looked up, right into Ivan's eyes.

"Hi. I just… I just wanted to say… hi."

Yao didn't know what to say.

"Well, then I… I'll go then." Ivan turned around and hurried away.

Yao sighed. Youngsters and their games…

Ivan pulled Gilbert to the side. "You said this would work."

"Of course it will."

"Then why is nothing happening?"

"Ivan, Ivan. These things take patience. Just remember that I'm the expert. That's why you asked my help."

"I asked you to help me look cool and get Yao to fall for me."

"Don't judge a plan by its individual steps. Soon, he'll be raging with jealousy. You gave him a taste of what it's like to be with you, and now you're making him realize how much he wants it."

"And when he does?"

"Then he'll come after you."

Ivan looked back at Yao. "I don't think he will."

"What else is he going to do, watch you be happy with someone else?"

"Yao would. He would if he thought I'd be happier with someone else."

"Just trust awesome me and this awesome plan."

"No… No, I don't think I will."

"Of course… Wait, what?"

"I have to fix this."

"Wait, you'll ruin a perfect plan! I already promised Eliza that I'll do her chores for a month, so we better make use of her acting skills, or I'm suffering for nothing!"

"Any plan that involves hurting Yao, is far from perfect." He walked away, leaving an astounded Gilbert behind.

Ivan spent the rest of the meeting scribbling words onto his notepad and striking them through again. By the time the meeting was over, he had a vague idea of what he wanted to say. He went home and wasted no time in getting behind his desk. He fired up his computer and started typing up a letter. And another one, and another one. He got his ink and pen ready, but wouldn't use them until he had a perfect letter to copy down. Every time he finished typing one out, he found something else to change, something else to improve. Anything less than perfect wouldn't do. Not anymore.

* * *

Yao woke up, this time not from an ice cream coma. As it turned out, one can grow tired even of ice cream. He got dressed, but only because his siblings were coming over for lunch. He collected the mail from the doormat, trying not to groan too loudly as he rubbed his aching back. He looked through the mail on his way back to the living room. One letter caught his attention. His name was written on it in cursive, almost calligraphic lettering. He could almost smell the ink. Curious, he sat down and opened the envelope. He took out the folded paper and the scent of ink intensified, hitting him with a wave of nostalgia. He unfolded the paper, and read.

_Dear Yao,_

_I am writing you because I want to apologize, and I'm worried the words won't come out right when I'm fumbling before you._

_I have been dishonest. I have been playing games with you and gambled away your trust in the process. Even though it might not change a thing at this point, I still feel like I owe you the truth. And the truth is, that I like you, a lot. One might even say that I'm in love with you. And desperate for your affection, I behaved like a fool and pulled you in on a scheme that left you heartbroken. I was too much of a coward to share my feelings with you._

_I know I have no right to ask anything of you. And yet, here I am, asking you for a chance to make things right. I will be at the party next week, ready to apologize to you in person and, if you'll let me, declare my feelings in an honest way. There's a garden behind the event hall. In that garden, there's an arch with roses. I hope to meet you there._

_Sincerely, with love,_

_Ivan_

Yao stared at the letter in his hand. No, it couldn't be real. It was just another prank. He tossed the letter aside, promising himself he wouldn't fall for such games again.

"We're here!" Yong Soo walked in, Mei in tow.

"Ah, yes. I was just about to start cooking."

"What's that? A love letter?" He picked up Ivan's letter before Yao could stop him.

"You give that back."

"It's from Ivan!"

"Show me that." Mei looked along over his shoulder. "Brother, you should do this!"

"Not a chance." Yao got up from the table. "Help me slice the vegetables."

"He's trying to make amends," Mei insisted. "He might even ask you out for real."

"I don't owe him anything. He did what he did, and now he can live with it."

"Don't you want to find out what will happen?"

"I'm good."

"What if this is your chance to be with him?"

Yao's hand rested on the handle of the fridge. "What if it's not?"

"Then at least you've tried."

He groaned. "You guys are going to be the death of me."


	7. Chapter 7

Yao wasn't sure if he'd lost his mind. After the meeting, he'd gone to his hotel to get ready for the party. He'd almost stayed there, but his siblings threatened to come and get him themselves if he wouldn't come willingly. And so, he'd made his way to the party.

"I haven't seen Ivan yet," Mei said.

"Well, that's off to a great start." Yao took a reckless sip of his champagne.

"Don't worry, he'll show up."

Yao almost hoped he didn't.

When the time drew near, Yao's siblings urged him to head to the gardens. He obeyed, but only to shut them up, he told himself. As he made his way to the arch, however, he found a tiny bit of hope blossoming up inside. He tried to suppress it, but was in vain. He decided to take the leap and to hope, just for tonight.

* * *

Ivan checked himself over in the restroom mirror. This was his one chance. If he messed up now, it was over.

"There you are." Gilbert entered. "I was looking for you. Listen, I came up with a great tactic that's going to turn the whole game around."

"I'm not interested."

"Come on, just hear me out. I worked so hard on it."

"I don't need any more of your plans." He turned to Gilbert. "I'm done playing games."

"My strategies are flawless."

"Your strategies may have ruined my chances of getting with Yao. Now, if you'll excuse me." He brushed past Gilbert, who was left gaping like a fish.

Ivan looked around the room. Yao wasn't anywhere in sight. He checked his watch. He had two minutes left. Yao was probably at the arch already. He set out to head to the gardens, but his arm caught on something. Or, rather, something caught his arm.

"Hey, red guy!"

Ivan groaned. "Alfred, I don't have time right now."

"Aren't you supposed to be able to drink lots? Here, compete with me."

Judging by Alfred's state of intoxication alone, that did not seem like a good idea. "I really don't have the time."

"You're just too much of a scaredy-cat!" He nearly stumbled over his tongue.

"I am not. Another time I will gladly drink you off the face of the planet, but right now I have other things to do."

"I'm the host, you can't refuse me!" He pulled harder at his arm.

"I said, no."

"Come on!" Francis joined in as well, equally far gone judging by the flush on his cheeks. "Be a gentleman!"

"I really can't."

They both started tugging at him and they managed to pull him to a table. How was he going to get to Yao like this?

"Oh, I can take him on!"

Great, Arthur was in on it as well. The three of them held him down. "One of you, grab some drinks," Alfred said. "I'm the strongest here, so I should hold him down."

"You? The strongest?" Arthur slurred. "I'll prove you wrong any time."

"I'd like to see you try."

"And and succeed."

Ivan made an attempt at escaping but they pushed him back down. "Please, I have someone I need to see."

"No, you have us to fight," Francis said.

He was starting to consider it. He had one chance with Yao, and he wouldn't let these idiots take it from him.

* * *

He'd been stupid. That much Yao was sure of now. He's been waiting for more than fifteen minutes, all alone underneath the arch. He'd been fooled. He'd been naive enough to see a chance when there wasn't one. Ivan was never going to love him. Never, ever.

He took a step back toward the hall but had to stop. Tears he didn't want were starting to flow down his cheeks. He tried to stop them, but the more he tried, the more he seemed to fall apart.

He loved Ivan. He really did.

And it hurt so bad.

"Come on… Stop it… I can't go back inside like this…"

The only thing more painful than the embarrassment was the heartbreak. Not that Ivan would ever know, because he wasn't here.

It was no use. The tears wouldn't subside and he wasn't going to be able to hide his feelings from everyone else. He wiped his eyes and walked back to the hall.

His siblings were surprised to see him on his own. "Yao? Are you okay?" Mei asked.

"I'm fine. I'm going to take the train back to my hotel."

"Wait, what about Ivan?"

But he was already walking away.

* * *

When Ivan finally managed to break free from his constraints, he ran towards the garden. He dared hope that he wasn't too late, that Yao was still there. He raced through the gardens, towards the arch. But when he got there, Yao was gone. "No..." He looked around, scanned the gardens, but he was nowhere to be seen. He ran back to the hall, determined to catch Yao there.

Or had he even shown up at all? Maybe he'd read the letter, scoffed, and thrown it away. But he couldn't assume that. If there was any chance of Yao being here, then he'd find him.

Inside, he spotted Yao's siblings. He ran up to them, panting and sweating.

"Ivan?" Mei asked surprised.

"Where's Yao?"

"He just left. We all assumed you weren't here."

"Where did he go?"

"To the train station. He left just now."

He could still make it. He pulled Alfred aside. "Car keys, now."

"What was that?"

"Where are your car keys?"

Alfred pulled them out of his pocket. "Look, aren't they shiny?"

Ivan snatched them out of his hand.

"Hey!"

He ran outside, looking around for the car in question. When he found it, he jumped in. No one would stop him now.

* * *

Yao dragged his feet towards the train station. In the dark, with not even a stranger around, he dared to let his tears flow more freely. He'd been a fool. An absolute fool. He only had himself to blame, really. He'd been playing games like a young idiot. But no more. He was done.

The area around the train station wasn't very well lit, and he had to be careful to look around him. The last thing he wanted, was to get into an accident. Although, he doubted it would hurt more than what he'd already been through.

He had to hurry a bit. His train would leave soon, and he didn't feel much for being stuck at the station. Once at his hotel, he could truly cry out loud. But for now, he had to restrain himself.

But it was so hard.

* * *

Ivan forced himself to remove his hand from the car horn. All the cars around him were driving far too slow for his liking. He had to get to the station, now. He was running out of time.

He took a reckless turn and had to avoid a car coming his way. Calm down, he told himself. If he caused an accident, he'd never reach Yao.

He followed the signs to the station. If only he'd be in time. If he wasn't, he didn't know how he'd ever get another chance. This was it. It was now or never.

He took another turn and the train station came into view. His heartbeat sped up and he pressed down on the gas, eager to close the distance in as few seconds as possible.

He never saw the pedestrian crossing the street.


	8. Chapter 8

Yao wiped his eyes and crossed the street to the station. In the corner of his eye, there was a flash of light. But before he could react, before he could distinguish the lights as being headlights, the impact happened. The car hit his body and he landed on the hood. Thankfully, the driver slammed the breaks at once.

Yao groaned and wondered if he'd been shattered in pieces. But as a nation, his body wouldn't break so easily.

The car door opened and someone came out. He ran to Yao. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine..."

The person froze, his hand stretched out to help Yao. When Yao looked up, he realized why. "Ivan?"

"Yao?"

They looked at each other for a while, neither of them moving, neither of them knowing what to say.

"What are you doing here?" Yao managed to say after a while.

"I was looking for you."

"Well... You found me."

"Are you okay?" Ivan started helping Yao up.

"Yes, I think I am."

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you." His cheeks were red and his hair was standing up a little.

"What are you even doing here?"

"I was looking for you, actually."

Remembering his previous humiliation, Yao stepped away. "Why? To mock me some more?"

"No, that was never my intention." He reached for Yao, but the latter moved away from him. "I meant to show up, I really did."

"But you didn't."

"And I'm sorry."

"Then go be sorry somewhere else." He tried to walk away, but Ivan grabbed his arm. "Let me go."

"I don't want it to end like this. I've been a fool, and I should pay for that, but... But I can't let you go."

Yao stopped struggling for a moment. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean, is that I made some huge mistakes. I shouldn't have pretended to like someone else. I shouldn't have been dishonest with you. There was this whole plan about making you jealous, but I should have just told you how I feel."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Because I was afraid you wouldn't like me back."

Yao studied him, searching for any hint of trickery. "You did all this to seduce me?"

"It was a horrible attempt, but yes."

"You created this whole mess just to get me to like you?"

"Yes. Yes, I did."

"Oh, you idiot..." Yao pulled his arm free from his grip. "You never had to."

"I didn't?"

"If you wanted to ask me out, you should have done so." Yao looked toward the station. His train was about to leave.

"I didn't make it to the garden in time," Ivan said, "but I wouldn't have chased you here if this didn't mean anything to me."

"And Elizaveta...?"

"She was part of the plan. She and Gilbert made some deal."

"You are all a bunch of idiots."

"I'm only ever this crazy when it comes to you."

Yao sighed. "If I was any stronger of a person, I'd tell you to leave me alone for what you did."

"But...?" There was a hopeful glimmer in Ivan's eyes.

"You're lucky I'm not as foolhardy as I used to be."

"So... Does that mean...?"

"Just kiss me already."

Ivan wasted no time. He grabbed Yao and pulled him closer, pressing their lips together. Yao wrapped his arms around him and deepened the kiss. "That's all you had to do," he said when they parted for air.

"And I'm not planning on stopping."

"Words, words. Show me some action."

Ivan smirked and lifted Yao up. "My hotel room it is."

* * *

A significant number of people arrived late at the meeting the next day. Most of them tried—but failed—to mask their hangovers. Alfred, especially, was in horrible state. He wasn't the one Mei and Lixiao were looking out the most for, however. They hadn't seen their brother since he left them behind at the party. Had he made it home safely? And what had happened to Ivan?

They didn't have to wait long to get their questions answered. Yao and Ivan entered together, hair tousled and looking overall disheveled. What was most notable, however, was the huge smirk on their faces and the way their hands rubbed against each other with every step. Eventually, after sharing a beaming look, they parted ways and each headed to their seats. Yao slipped into the seat next to Mei and hissed as he sat down.

"…Do I want to know?" she asked.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Sure. I hope you two had fun."

"Lots." Yao moved in his seat, flinching. This time, it had nothing to do with being old.

At the start of lunch break, Ivan came over to Yao. "How are you doing?" he asked, though he could not suppress a triumphant twinkle in his eyes.

"You know how I'm doing." But he couldn't sound even a bit accusing.

Ivan leaned against the table. "All this time… and who knew it would be this simple."

"Getting up this morning wasn't so simple."

"But it was worth it."

"Oh, yes. It was." Yao was still afraid that any second he'd wake up, and it would all turn out to be a dream.

"That got me thinking…"

"Yes?"

"Do you have plans for tonight?"

"Oh, Ivan. I don't think my body can take another night so soon."

Ivan laughed softly. "Don't worry. I wasn't thinking of anything like that. I was thinking more like… A date."

"A date?" He leaned back in his chair, but immediately regretted doing so. "I like the sound of that."

"I was thinking of a candlelit dinner at my place. It seems like a good way to start our relationship off."

"Our relationship…" Yao tasted the words on his lips. "We're a couple now?"

"I think we are."

He smirked and pulled Ivan down by his scarf for a kiss.

What Yao wanted, he got.

Why would the hot Russian be an exception?


End file.
